The party, led by chief coordinator Seeman, saw its vote share fall from around 8 per cent in the 2024 Lok Sabha election to nearly 4 per cent this time, according to data from the Election Commission of India. NTK also lost deposits in all the 234 Assembly constituencies, including Karaikudi, where Seeman contested.

The setback became more symbolic when Seeman himself finished fourth in the Karaikudi constituency, triggering criticism from political observers and disappointment among sections of the party cadre.

The sharp fall in the party’s vote share follows NTK's growth in every election since the 2016 Assembly polls debut. In the 2016 Assembly elections, NTK contested in 231 seats and secured a vote share of 1.06 per cent. The vote share increased to 6.58 per cent in the 2021 Assembly elections and further rose to 8.19 per cent in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

In the recently concluded State polls, NTK's overall vote bank shrank considerably compared with the previous Assembly polls. Several constituencies in northern Tamil Nadu and parts of the Delta region, where NTK had earlier registered notable vote percentages, also witnessed a sharp decline.

Despite the defeat, senior NTK functionaries insisted that the party was not in retreat and had instead entered a “restructuring phase”. Sources within the party said internal review meetings were being conducted district-wise to analyse constituency-level performance and identify organisational weaknesses.

Speaking to DT Next, NTK youth and students wing state coordinator S Fathima Farhana said the party would continue its political struggle without compromising on its ideology.

“Naam Tamilar will continue to remain a strong political force. What we are carrying forward is an ideological battle between Dravidian politics. The recent election results show that cinema influence dominated the polls. But we cannot compromise on our principles,” she said.

She added the party had lost nearly half of its vote bank but was already working to rebuild a stronger support base.

“The party’s senior leadership is holding discussions on how to take the movement forward. We are planning state-wide training workshops and are focusing intensely on strengthening NTK’s presence on social media platforms. The election results reflected a blind political wave,” she added.

Another senior functionary, state Youth Wing coordinator Idumbavanam Karthi, said the results were politically disappointing but did not mark the decline of the party.

“People voted (for TVK) beyond caste, religion and ideology purely due to cinematic attraction. The four per cent votes secured by NTK are genuine and uncompromised votes,” he told DT Next.

Karthi also criticised the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led government, alleging that it would ultimately resemble previous Dravidian party administrations.

“The governance under Vijay will only become a modern version of the DMK and AIADMK regimes. Corruption and bribery are not going to disappear. Most of those who have now assumed office lack administrative experience. This government will eventually become an administration run by bureaucrats,” he claimed.

Predicting a future political shift in Tamil Nadu, Karthi said the State’s political battleground in the coming years would primarily revolve around NTK and TVK.

“In the 2029 and 2031 elections, the real contest will be between Naam Tamilar Katchi and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. We are working intensively to strengthen the party’s grassroots organisational structure,” he added.

The election results have reopened internal discussions within NTK regarding campaign strategy, candidate selection and communication methods. While the party has consistently positioned itself as an ideological alternative centred on Tamil nationalism, environmental politics and anti-Dravidian rhetoric, critics argue that NTK has struggled to convert emotional mobilisation into electoral victories.

Observers noted that NTK’s social media influence and youth mobilisation did not fully translate into booth-level electoral performance. In many constituencies, the party’s vote share experienced a steep erosion compared with previous elections, when it had performed better.